The present invention relates to systems and methods for applying markings to an article, and more particularly, to systems and methods for applying marks, symbols, labels, graphics, indicia, logos, numbers, and other markings to a manufactured article, such as a golf ball.
Product designers and manufacturers often desire to mark manufactured articles, such as golf balls, with marks, symbols, labels, graphics, indicia, logos, numbers, or other markings. With golf balls, conventional methods have included pad printing, ink-jet printing, and other methods of depositing ink on top of the ball surface. With these conventional methods, because the markings are applied as a layer on top of the ball surface, the markings are susceptible to wear during use. In addition, because the markings are applied on top of the outer ball surface, the rate of wear may be faster than the outer ball surface itself.
To improve the wear characteristics of the markings, sublimation printing processes have been developed, which sublimate ink into the surface of an article using heat and pressure. The heat and pressure are required to convert the solid dye particles to a gaseous or vapor state, so that the dispersed vapor dye penetrates and adheres to the surface of the article.
One example of sublimation printing is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,935,240 to Gosetti, which forms indicia on a golf ball by applying heat and pressure to diffuse sublimating ink into the surface of a component. The specification defines sublimation as the conversion of a solid dye particle to a gaseous or vapor state.
Another example of a sublimation process is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,004,900 to O'Brien, which is directed to sublimation dyeing of articles formed of composite materials. O'Brien discloses a composite article having an outermost ply of fibers embedded in a composite mixture having a certain amount of optically light pigment and a visually distinct sublimation print applied thereon. The O'Brien process applies a sublimation print to the outermost surface of an optically light fiber-resin composite material to form indicia. Like Gosetti, O'Brien discloses the transfer of the sublimation dye to the composite outer surface by heat and pressure.
In addition to sublimation, another manufacturing process for applying ink within a surface of a plastic article is what is generally referred to as infusion dyeing. Typically, with infusion dyeing, a plastic article is immersed in a dye solution and the dye penetrates the surface of the plastic, thereby residing among the plastic molecules rather than being a surface coating. The infused dye color therefore may not be easily rubbed off. This dyeing method was developed to apply color to plastic parts without having to add colorant to the plastic raw material during the molding or fabrication process, thereby allowing customizable or small batch coloring at reduced manufacturing costs. The amount of color effect may be controlled by the amount of time spent in the dye solution.
An example of infusion dyeing is disclosed in U.S. Publication No. 2007/0256255 to Witman, which is generally directed to the coloring of a coated article. A superstrate is fixedly joined to at least a portion of the substrate of the article, to produce a coated article. In a subsequent step, a coloring dye-containing material system is applied to the coated article under conditions that infuse coloring dye into the superstrate. In particular, a polymeric coating (superstrate) is first applied to an object and then a superstrate is brought into contact with a material system that contains (i) water, (ii) a carrier, (iii) a dye, and (iv) a diol, under conditions that diffuse the dye into the superstrate. Witman discloses immersion techniques for bringing the superstrate in contact with the aqueous dye material system that include dipping, spraying, and flow coating.
Other examples of infusion dyeing are disclosed in U.S. Publication No. 2009/0089942 to Pyles et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,733,543 to Pyles et al., which disclose methods of tinting a plastic article. The disclosed infusion dye application methods involve immersing the plastic article, such as by dipping, spraying, curtaining (running part through a waterfall curtain of dye), flow coating, spin applying, and immersion dyeing.
The conventional methods for marking articles, such as sublimation ink processes and infusion dyeing, may be incorporated into the overall manufacturing process, to produce a final product. However, these techniques typically require extensive equipment and manufacturing conditions that cannot be conveniently provided in a post-manufacture setting. Sublimation ink processes require the application of considerable heat and pressure, which a final product often cannot withstand and which is beyond the capabilities of end users. Likewise, conventional infusion dyeing processes require specialized equipment to accommodate full-immersion application methods such as dipping, spraying, curtaining, flow coating, spin applying, and immersion dyeing.
These conventional methods are therefore unsuitable for post-manufacture marking of articles. Manufacturers often desire to give consumers the ability to customize manufactured articles during or after purchase, by enabling consumers to mark or otherwise personalize the manufactured articles. For example, consumers of golf balls often desire to personalize the golf balls with company names and logos. And, typically, the desired number of personalized golf balls does not justify large-scale manufacturing efforts. Therefore, there remains a need for systems and methods for applying markings to articles in low-volume, post-manufacture settings.